Art Turner Memorial preview
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The Art Turner Memorial tournament has been one of my favorite showcases that I’ve ever been to. Some of the best basketball players on the East Coast show up and put on a show. It’s this weekend at PVI, so…
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Continue ReadingThe Art Turner Memorial tournament has been one of my favorite showcases that I’ve ever been to. Some of the best basketball players on the East Coast show up and put on a show. It’s this weekend at PVI, so I want to preview some of my favorite matchups. There are many more talented teams and players than the ones I listed. These teams have some of the best talent in their respective states, so you should check all the games out!
PVI vs Steward
The first matchup I want to highlight of the tournament is the host PVI vs. Steward. Steward Guard
Sanai Green
Sanai
Green
6'0" | SF
Steward School | 2026
State
VA
is among the best Sophomores in the state and the country. She is athletic and a gifted scorer from all over the court. PVI is excellent defensively, and one of the reasons why is Junior G/F
Riley Hamburger
Riley
Hamburger
6'0" | SG
Paul VI | 2025
State
VA
. Her length and overall defensive ability will probably see her get the
Sanai Green
Sanai
Green
6'0" | SF
Steward School | 2026
State
VA
assignment. Steward has some other really good guards like
Lilly Thoman
Lilly
Thoman
5'7" | PG
Steward | 2026
State
VA
and
Tori West
Tori
West
5'4" | PG
Steward School | 2024
State
VA
, who are both looking to build on impressive seasons last year. PVI’s guards are a little more of a question mark, as three of their guards who got playing time from last season either graduated or transferred. The most significant piece for PVI is Senior forward
Laura Williams
Laura
Williams
6'2" | PF
Paul VI | 2024
State
VA
. I mentioned earlier that PVI was good on defense, and the biggest reason is
Laura Williams
Laura
Williams
6'2" | PF
Paul VI | 2024
State
VA
. Her length and defensive instincts make her an elite rim protector. She will give you 20 and 10 a night and is primed to show why she’s the number 1 ranked Senior in the state.
Catholic vs. Good Counsel
Catholic vs. Good Counsel is one of the early games on Saturday, and it will be an entertaining matchup. The two PGs for these teams are the most intriguing part of this matchup. Caliyah DeVillasee is the number one ranked Junior in Maryland and one of the best guards in the DMV. Caliyah has cleaned up her game so much over the past few years, and she is one of my favorite players to watch. Her ball handling and playmaking are fantastic, and she does a great job finishing through people at the rim. She is an elite scorer from all over the court, but her mid-range seems automatic. On the other side of this terrific matchup is
Zaniyah Williams
Zaniyah
Williams
5'7" | PG
Catholic HS | 2026
State
VA
. Zaniyah is so composed and plays the game way beyond her years. She controls the game with her passing and IQ. Zaniyah is a gifted scorer and is athletic around the rim. She is also a terrific shooter and a fantastic all-around player. Catholic has players like versatile power forward
Jemma Eleby
Jemma
Eleby
5'11" | PF
Catholic | 2025
State
VA
and guard
Kylah Moore
Kylah
Moore
5'6" | CG
Catholic HS | 2024
State
VA
, who should be great next to Zaniyah. Talayah Walker is a player for Good Counsel to watch as well. She is a skilled scorer who will be a big piece for Good Counsel.
McDonogh vs. Sidwell Friends
McDonogh vs. Sidwell Friends is loaded with girls who will be playing at a Power 5 school. There are several matchups I could highlight in this game to watch. The matchup inside between Kennedy Umeh and Zania Socka-Nguemen will be a battle, but I will highlight the matchup between Kendall Dudley and Ava McKennie, who are neck and neck in the rankings in 2024. Kendall is a great athlete and uses that and her length to be hard to stop when she gets to the rim. She is a solid passer as well and a much-improved ball handler. The Maryland commit Ava Mckennie can guard absolutely anyone in court. Her overall game has come together over the past year, and she is one of the best seniors in Maryland. What’s ridiculous about this Sidwell Friends team is that I haven’t even mentioned Sophomore forward Jordyn Jackson, one of the best players in the DMV and the number 4 ranked player in the country for 2026. Sidwell Friends lost Jadyn Donovan, one of the best players in the country, last year; with all the talent this team brings back, they shouldn’t miss a beat and will be one of the best teams in the country.
Westtown vs. Bishop Ireton
I watched this Westtown team at the Art Turner showcase last year, and Jessie Moses and Jordan Palmer were two of the most impressive players there. What shocked me even more was that they were both 8th graders then. They return to this event a year later, and I’m excited to see their improvements. Conversely, Bishop Ireton is healthy this year and has a deep and talented squad. I want to highlight the matchup between Jordyn Palmer and
Nyla Brooks
Nyla
Brooks
6'2" | SF
Bishop Ireton | 2025
State
VA
. Jordyn Palmer is an exceptional basketball player, and I can confidently say she’s one of the best basketball players I’ve ever seen at her age. Jordyn can do everything on offense; her athletic ability and strength are at the next level. She is so fluid in how she moves and has many ways to score inside and out. Jordyn is a unique talent who will do big things. On the other side,
Nyla Brooks
Nyla
Brooks
6'2" | SF
Bishop Ireton | 2025
State
VA
is another exceptional talent. The Tennessee commit has guard skills and a deep arsenal of moves at 6’2. She has a good jump shot and is a committed and versatile defender. Nyla is a top 25 player in the nation for the 2025 class and a fun player to watch. These teams have other players to watch as well. I mentioned Jessie Moses and senior guard Zahra King are also great players for Westtown.
Amirah Anderson
Amirah
Anderson
5'10" | SF
Bishop Ireton | 2025
State
VA
,
Desirae Ashton
Desirae
Ashton
6'1" | PF
Bishop Ireton | 2024
State
VA
, and many others are players to watch for a deep Bishop Ireton squad.